In this tutorial, you’ll learn how you can easily add a retro feeling to your creations. We’ll also cover techniques such as using gradient mesh tool to add inner shadows to your objects, which gives them a subtle rounding while keeping your artwork scalable. Let’s learn how to make a character head of a retro circus bear, then you can apply these techniques in your own work!

Final Image Preview

Below is the final image we will be working towards. Want access to the full Vector Source files and downloadable copies of every tutorial, including this one? Join Vector Plus for just 9$ a month.

Tutorial Details

• Program: Adobe Illustrator CS4
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Estimated Completion Time: 1 hour

Step 1

In order to create this simple illustration I started with a raw sketch. In fact my drawing is so simple that this step could easily be skipped. Open your scan in Illustrator and set it as a Template.

Step 2

Now we’ll outline the shapes of our teddy bear head. Create a new layer (you may use the shortcut Command + L). As you can see it is not a very faithful tracing of my initial sketch.

I decided not to use the Pen Tool. Instead I’ll use the Ellipse Tool (L) each time tweaking more or less my ellipse shapes with the Direct Selection Tool (A). To create the heart-shaped nose and the mouth part, use the Convert Anchor Point Tool (Shift + C). You can see some of the anchor points together with their handles in the image below.

Step 3

The colors that we are going to use come from the yummy Adobe Illustrator built-in swatches palette: Foods > Ice Cream.

Step 4

We’ll start with the main part of the head. For the moment put it above all the other shapes. To do that select it, Right-click and choose Arrange > Bring to Front (Shift + Command + Right Bracket key.)

Fill the shape with the lightest color (vanilla) from the Banana Split group (R=244, G=236, B=206), and set the stroke to none. With the Gradient Mesh Tool (U) first click in about the center point of the head, next add four more mesh points by clicking about the points marked in the image. You do not have to be very exact.

Step 5

Choose the Direct Selection Tool (A), then hold down the Shift key and select all the sixteen border mesh points. Now fill them with the Chocolate Chip brown color (R=73, G=54, B=31).

Next adjust the positions of the four mesh points little bit, as marked in the image below. Do this by dragging them towards the center of the circle so that the mesh inner shadow has a round shape.

Step 6

Select the head shape and send it to the very back (Shift + Command + Left Bracket key). Select the outer parts of the ears and the eyes and bring them to front (Shift + Command + Right Bracket key). With these parts, we’ll proceed similarly as we did in the two previous steps.

Fill the outer parts of the ears with the same color we used for the main head and set the stroke to none. Now use the Gradient Mesh Tool (U) to add the mesh points as in the previous step, while skipping the bottom one.

With the Direct Selection Tool select the nine border mesh points situated above the blue line marked in the image below. Now fill them with the Chocolate Chip brown (R=73, G=54, B=31). Drag the two top corner mesh points slightly towards the center, as we did in the previous step.

Repeat the same for the outer parts of the eyes. The only difference is the fill color. Choose the vanilla color from the Neapolitan group (R=255, G=241, B=228).

Step 7

Send the outer parts of the ears to back (Shift + Command + Left Bracket key). Select and bring the inner parts to front (Shift + Command + Right Bracket key).

Fill them with the yellow color from the Banana Split group (R=252, G=221, B=124), and give them no stroke. Click in the center with the Mesh Tool (U). Next fill the top (above the blue line) five border mesh points with the Chocolate Chip dark brown color (R=73 G=54 B=31).

Send the inner ears to back (Shift + Command + Left Bracket key). Then immediately bring them forward (Shift + Command + Right Bracket key).

Step 8

Now we’ll create the iris parts of the eyes. Bring them to front, then fill them with the brown color from the Neapolitan group (R=107, G=78, B=56), and give them no stroke. Next use the Gradient Mesh Tool (U) to add the mesh points, then adjust their positions as shown below.

Select the border mesh points situated above the blue line and set them to black. Next change the color of two more mesh points as shown. The colors we use are light vanilla (R=255, G=241, B=228) and pink (R=238, G=156, B=176) from the Neapolitan group. This way we add some lighting and color.

Next try recreate this effect with the second eye. I wanted my teddy bear to have a bit of asymmetry.

Step 9

Bring the heart-shaped nose to front and fill it with the Neapolitan pink color (R=238, G=156, B=176), then set the stroke to none. Switch to the Gradient Mesh Tool (U) and add the mesh points as in the image – starting in the center of the heart. You can follow my order of adding the mesh points, but it is not obligatory.

Now adjust their positions as in the image. Set the color of all the border points as Chocolate Chip brown (R=73, G=54, B=31) and the color of the blue-marked point as Neapolitan vanilla (R=255, G=241, B=228).

Step 10

Having locked and set the heart to invisible, we’ll now work on the “mouth” part. Make sure it is placed above the eyes and below the nose. Fill it with the yellow from the Banana Split group (R=252, G=221, B=124), and give it no stroke.

Add five mesh points starting from the one marked with the blue arrow below. Change the color of all border mesh points to the Chocolate Chip brown (R=73, G=54, B=31). Next drag the four points marked with the dark brown arrows towards the center.

Step 11

Set the fill color back to the Banana Split yellow (R=252, G=221, B=124) and stroke to none. Add two more mesh points as marked with the dark arrows in the image below. Next change the color of the point marked with the blue arrow to Chocolate Chip brown (R=73, G=54, B=31).

Step 12

Turn the heart-shaped nose visible, but keep it still locked (it should be above the mouth). Adjust the shape of the mesh lines so that the mouth part has a more natural look. Move the handles a bit using the Convert Anchor Point Tool in the Pen Tool palette (or use the shortcut Shift + C).

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